A little bit of research on the Memorial Swinging Bridge raised questions about the man who built it, R. E. Nutt.
First, a testament to this man’s acumen.
Photo courtesy Pulaski County Public Library
Bridgemeister.com lists sixteen suspension bridges that have been built in the State of Indiana. Additional suspension bridges were found on the BridgeHunter.com website, bringing the number to twenty-one. These lists carry all bridges, those still in use and those lost to us.
Mr. Nutt Built a Bridge That Would Last
Memorial is one of twelve still standing. Several bridges are not dated as to construction, but it appears Memorial is one of the oldest.
The oldest still in use, in Turkey Run State Park, was constructed in 1918. Following damage in the April 2013 flood, “everything is new except the main cables.” The bridge in Foster Park, Fort Wayne, was built in 1920. No significant refurbishing was noted in the online databases. Three of the standing bridges are not dated, but two of the undated bridges appear to be relatively recent in construction. The others were built in 1966, 1988, 1994, and the 2000s.
An Extra Piece Of Information
The information from Bridgemeister.com and BridgeHunter.com has been encapsulated in a database on our website, HERE.
Local News Coverage of Mr. Nutt during Construction
The local newspapers covering the idea for and the construction of the bridge said little about Mr. Nutt, even misnaming him (twice). This was 1923, and he had been elected three times to serve as County Surveyor, serving from 1917 through 1922, but they didn’t get it right. For some reason, they didn’t focus on the engineer, the builder, a local man.
With the exception of mentioning his name in the bidding and construction process, these snippets are all that were gleaned about Mr. Nutt from local coverage in 1923.
- Winamac Republican, March 1, 1923: New Foot-Bridge To Span River: “Plans and estimates have been prepared by Herbert Nutt, an engineer, of Indianapolis, and former Harrison township resident, and these plans will be open to inspection to those at the meeting tonight.”
- Pulaski County Democrat, March 9, 1923: Permanent Foot Bridge to Park Across the River: “Plans for a bridge have been drawn by R. E. Nutt, who estimates that the structure can be erected for about $2,000.”
- Winamac Republican, March 8, 1923: Town Help for New Foot-Bridge: “Last week’s paper stated that the plans and drawings were made by Hubert Nutt, which was an error, the plans having been made by Former County Surveyor R. E. Nutt”
Mr. Nutt’s Commitment to Memorial
In March 1923, Mr. Nutt appeared before the Winamac Park Association with a proposal to construct a permanent suspension footbridge over the Tippecanoe River. The bridge would connect the Association-owned river park with the Town’s recently-purchased artesian well park. He estimated the bridge would “not cost far in excess of $2,000.” The Park Association made a decision to approach the Town of Winamac to share costs on a 50/50 basis. The town agreed to participate, so long as their share did not exceed $1,000.
Originally, the bridge was conceived as a point of pedestrian travel from one park to the other. The purpose was to secure for the town a first-class tourist destination. As plans progressed, the bridge was also to become a memorial to Pulaski county soldiers of all wars, thus the name, Memorial. With that decision, the Town, the Park Association and the Kiwanis Club determined that bridge construction should be complete by June 1.
The consortium asked Mr. Nutt to prepare specifications, and bids were let. At least four local contractors were expected to submit bids, but in the end, only one was received. Mr. Nutt’s bid was for $3,197, considerably above the projected cost. Mr. Nutt explained the price of steel and cement had jumped since the specifications and estimates had been presented.
The matter of letting the contract was tabled to allow the Park Board Association to meet with the Kiwanis Club and make a plan. Before that meeting, the Park Association asked the community for assistance. They immediately sold $1,600 in Association stocks, which was enough allow the plan to go forward. Before the bridge was complete, they would raise the sales to $2,300.
Mr. Nutt secured the contract on April 6. The contract stipulated completion of the bridge in time for a Fourth of July celebration, and the date of completion was moved back one month, from June 1 to July 1. To meet his contractual obligations, Mr. Nutt traveled to Chicago the next week to secure the earliest possible shipment of materials.
Construction began in May 1923 and was completed before July 4, 1923.
Not only was this project completed short of three months from receiving the contract, but the bridge itself has stood for 98 years as a testament to Mr. Nutt’s engineering expertise.
The next installment will focus on Mr. Nutt’s professional background.
Credits
CONTRIBUTING TO THE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL HISTORY OF R. E. NUTT: Janet Onken, Pulaski County Genealogist; Jon Frain, Frain Mortuary; Jim Phillips, former resident of Pulaski County, who gathered relevant articles from the Winamac Republican and the Pulaski County Democrat; Russell E, Nutt Obituary from the Kokomo Tribune, June 17, 1941 and from a local paper; Errett Frain Nutt Obituary from the Kokomo Tribune, May 13, 1995; John Weaver (formerly) and Crystal Weaver (currently) with INDOT; Pulaski County Public Library.